Multi-function habitable backpack

ABSTRACT

A load carrying device fitted with shoulder straps and a waist belt that has a load capacity hard-shell exoskeleton and mechanisms whereby it can be used in an un-extended form for shoulder strapped on the back carriage of loads such as portable camping equipment and supplies or mission specific components (see FIG.  1 ), or used when the inner hull is empty, and the inner hull/exoskeleton is extended out from within the outer hull/exoskeleton as a habitable secure sleeping space within (see FIG.  3  and FIG.  4 ). To transition from an un-extended load carrying configuration into a habitable secure protected sleeping space configuration, the inner hull(s) or inner exoskeleton(s) is pulled or slid or extended out from inside the outer hull or outer exoskeleton, and the outer hull/exoskeleton is coupled together with the inner hull/exoskeleton (see FIG.  2 ), thus forming when prone to the ground, an extended habitable space sufficient for a person to lay within for purposes of outdoor sheltered protected sleep within a hard shell exoskeleton/cocoon (see FIG.  4 ) that serves as shelter and sheltered protection against predatory animals, environment, weather, insects, reptiles and other environment or other hazards. The device in its extended coupled form can also be used for transporting a sick or injured person. In its initial, un-extended form, functions as a shoulder strapped on your back load carrying device for portable outdoor camping supplies and equipment or for mission specific components. To transform the device from a backpack (see FIG.  1 ) into a personal habitable space in its extended form, the inner hull(s)/exoskeleton(s) slide out from within the main outer hull/exoskeleton effectively lengthening the compact form into a length suitable for an adult person to sleep within (see FIG.  3  and FIG.  4 ), or to take shelter within. The hull/exoskeleton when in extended form can be release-ably attached to each other along a coupling axis with gusset clasp(s) and channel mechanisms or rails or other such fastening system. When this said fastening system is engaged in the extended form, the combined compartments attach to the other to form a single large compartment with a hinged or sliding access door or other such access that opens to provide entry into (see FIG.  2 ), where the enlarged expanded compartment is large enough for a person to lay within prone, in a sleeping bag, within, and with the entry access cover closed (see FIG.  4 ), provides a protection barrier from the environment, insects, reptiles and predatory animals and other environmental hazards. To transform the extended habitable configuration back into a load carrying configuration (see FIG.  1 ) the extending procedure is reversed, and the gusset coupling or other such mechanism is de-coupled and the inner hull(s)/exoskeleton(s) is slid back into and inside the outer hull/exoskeleton. Supplemental multifunctional rails on both sides are also affixed to the exterior of the exoskeleton for various accessory attachments for full mission specific customization or can be configured as legs (see FIGS.  1, 2, 3  and  4 ) to support the extended habitable form off the ground.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to backpacks. In particular, the present invention relates to a backpack for use in holding and transporting clothing, miscellaneous equipment, and various gear for outdoor recreation or other activity wherein a need exists for a device which can be used comfortably to haul a range of lesser or greater and varying loads. The use of backpacks is known and widely established. An example of a “standard” backpack is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,873 to Schweitzer. The variety and extent of backpacks extend from small and lightweight daypacks such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,166 to Leja, to larger and heavier duty backpacks such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,188 to Gleason. While there are many exceptional and useful backpacks in the prior art, it is in general a fact that they are fairly uniform in their individual purposes. For example, it wouldn't be practical to use a small daypack as a personal protective sleeping habitat on a camping trip, just as it is impractical to use a large and bulky expeditionary backpack as a personal protective sleeping habitat. Yet with the advancement of protective species acts and the related proliferation of predatory mammals such as bears and wolves and in instances of a predatory animals not having fear of human interaction, there are activities in which it is desirable to have a single backpack, which is generally compact, but which has the built-in potential to also function as a protective habitat as a barrier. In the example of the activity backpacking in the outdoors, there is a common desire for a load packing device of sufficient volume for hauling necessities for a prolonged outing, as well as a common desire to minimize the hazards when sleeping in the outdoors from ambush of that of predatory animals and from dangerous insects, reptiles and other environmental hazards. Many such stories exist where a sleeping outdoor camper finds themselves being attacked or fed upon and killed by bear or other predatory animal while sleeping. Such a protected sleep barrier is not typically suited to the carriage of quantities of loads on the back where the backpack form has the versatility to be transformed from one form into the other.

There are diverse examples in the prior art of backpacks which are devised for the carriage of meat, and others that alter configuration or load volume in some fashion. U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,333 to Tucker, et al. discloses a meat carrying backpack, but it can be seen that it doesn't fulfill the need of a protective occupy-able habitat for purposes of protective sleep. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,619 to Boyar, the prior art contains examples of backpacks which are devised to be transformed into existence from out of another form, in this case a purse, but this dearly wouldn't be suitable for the purpose described herein. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,382 to Wyant, an expansion gusset is disclosed, which is an example of a means of expanding the volumetric carrying capacity of a specific compartment within a backpack. In this case, however, the change in dimension that is affected is not significant enough to be of use as an occupancy habitat.

Other designs exist which comprise efforts to have a backpack with a flexible load carrying volume. These however pertain to load carrying and are not pertaining to the purposes of a combination expanded sleeping refuge form and an un-expanded form for load carrying. Some are fitted with laced drawstrings or adjustable straps which can compress the cargo space of a pack into its most diminished form. These are excellent in their place, and some may be of use to a camper, but nonetheless it is generally true that these backpacks do not significantly after their form, and do not significantly have the capacity to increase their volume. If they are large enough to be of use in hauling larger things, they do not deploy so sufficiently to occupy and also do not compress sufficiently for use as a backpack.

While backpacks similar to those in the prior art have somewhat fulfilled the transportation and storage requirements of outdoorsmen to date, there exists a need to have backpacks which have better and more convenient deployable additional capability, and offer a greater range of versatility than prior art backpacks. In particular, with a greater and more widely prevalent emphasis on adventure, personal fitness, and personal mobility, many hunters, campers, outdoorsmen and outdoor adventurers are traveling great distances on their feet. In the example of such an activity, there is an incumbent need to also have a level of protection in the outdoors from the natural predatory instincts of predatory animals, and from other environmental risks. It is submitted that the present invention substantially meets these needs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The backpack of the present invention is devised such that it can be used in an un-expanded form for strapped on the back carriage of loads such as portable camping equipment and supplies or mission specific components, or in expanded form when emptied of contents to occupy within for purposes of protected sleep. In the specific example of camping, a user will depart for an outdoor outing of a night or more with all the basic necessities for the duration of the outing stored in the primary storage compartment(s) of said backpack, and when subsequently it comes time to stop and camp for the night, the backpack when emptied of contents can be deployed into its expanded form to occupy within for purposes of a protective barrier during sleep, wherein it retains full use when not occupied in un-expanded form of the basic strapped on the back carriage of loads. In an alternative example, the pack can be used in its un-expanded form to travel with a full complement of camping or traveling gear, which can be subsequently unloaded, thereby allowing the pack to be transformed into its expanded form for use as a personal protective barrier to sleep within.

More particularly, the backpack of the present invention includes a releasable division between one or more primary compartments that, when released, allows the inner hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton storage compartment(s) to slide outwardly from inside the outer hull/exoskeleton and back into again, in thus doing in expanding the inner hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton from the outer hull/exoskeleton that can then be utilized for a person to occupy and lay within, or thus when un-expanded can be utilized for a shoulder strapped load carrying device. The backpack is fully functional and convenient for use in either it's compacted or expanded embodiments.

The habitable backpack according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus which functions well as a backpack of the prior art, but which can readily be converted or transformed into a space sufficiently to occupy as a protective habitat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevated right back quartering view of the invention, showing it in its un-expanded form.

FIG. 2 is an elevated prone right front view of the invention, showing it in its expanded form.

FIG. 3 is an elevated right prone plan view, showing the invention in its expanded form with an access aperture and the division between the outer hull and the inner hull/hulls or exoskeleton compartments as an example of its unique embodiment, as an occupy-able habitat.

FIG. 4 is an elevated right prone view, showing same as FIG. 4 with the access aperture closed in its unique embodiment, as a secure protective habitat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a backpack is provided, which is similar in styling to other backpacks designed for outdoor use, which is durable, only with rigid outer hull/exoskeleton and inner hull/hull(s) that store within the outer hull/exoskeleton and which has both un-expanded and expanded forms. In its primary, compacted form, as shown in FIG. 1, it is similar in size and proportion to what is commonly called a backpack. In its secondary, expanded form, as shown in FIG. 2, it has greater volumetric capacity, and can be used for a person to occupy within. In particular, the backpack of the present invention includes a waist belt 1, with two shoulder harnesses 2, an outer main hull/exoskeleton 3, and fabric cover that is suitable for mission/use specifics, such as mosquito and insect protective barrier, or non-ventilated with insulating or ballistic resistance or weather resistance or fire resistance characteristics or in combinations thereof of nylon or other with expansiveness sufficient to cocoon over the hull(s)/exoskeleton(s) with separate enclosed storage compartments and expansive 4, multifunction rails that can also be used as legs or customizable rails customizable mission specifics 5, an optional flexible solar charging panel option 6, additional fabric storage compartment 7, with fabric cover flap for access to load contents 8, and gusset fusion mechanical clasp where the outer hull/exoskeleton releasable attach to the inner hull/hull(s) to the another, thereby in attached combination form a single elongated/expanded form of rigidity for purposes of to occupy within 9, inner hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton in its pulled out from inside the outer hull/exoskeleton in its expanded form 10, an access aperture/door/hatch/panel for occupy-able access purposes 11, and the same access aperture/door/hatch/panel in its closed position 11 a, and a person laying within in its expanded occupy-able form 12. Preferably the backpack is composed mainly of a high strength, lightweight rigid hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton(s) with nylon fabric cover, although any suitable fabric cover materials or other materials may be used. Also in a preferred embodiment, the primary inner hull/hull(s) storage compartment of the backpack configuration are subdivided internally into several separate cells, each of which can be individually accessed via a zippered or similarly provided aperture and which cell separators are also removable and when removed can be assembled into various components.

More specifically, the construction of the backpack is as follows. The main outer hull/exoskeleton 3, separates the inner hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton(s) and the various storage compartments from the wearer's back, is generally rectangular in shape, and may be padded or webbed where it will be in direct contact with the wearer's back and is attached to two padded shoulder straps 2, adjustable for length, and of a typical fashion that is widely known to the prior art, are attached to the rear 3 of the main outer hull/exoskeleton to facilitate wearing about the shoulders of a user. A hip or waist belt 1, which also is well known to the art, may or may not be alternatively provided. On the outward edges 3 of the front side of the outer hull/exoskeleton, pocket fabric storage compartments 7 are fixedly attached to the outer hull/exoskeleton's fabric cover 3. These storage compartments are made of nylon or other fabric material. In the present embodiment, these storage compartments are fitted with a top flap 8 with releasable and adjustable closure. Any similar contrivances that perform the same functions for access to the interior of the compartments may be used. The said primary outer hull/exoskeleton 3, and the inner hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton(s) 10, are release-ably attached to each other along the edge of the extension(s) 9 when deployed in the expanded form.

The drawings and the present description of the invention are illustrative only, for purposes of explaining and disclosing the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all modifications and equivalents may be regarded as falling within the scope of the invention. Other forms that employ the present invention and serve the purposes described herein are meant to be encompassed by this disclosure. 

I claim:
 1. A multi-function habitable backpack comprising, in combination: a main outer hull/exoskeleton with a secondary inner hull or hulls(s)/exoskeleton(s) within, both generally rectangular in shape with voluminous curvatures, and with structures having a top, two sides, a front, a back and a bottom and a top, and an ergonomically shaped web outer back panel attached or made part of the outer hull/exoskeleton with two shoulder straps and harnesses and a padded waist belt. The secondary inner hull or hull(s)/exoskeleton compartment or compartment(s) generally rectangular in the same shape with voluminous curvature of similar contours as that of the outer hull/exoskeleton, with having also a bottom, two sides, a front side, a back side and an access aperture/door/hatch or panel, where the secondary inner hull or hull(s)/exoskeleton(s) compartment or compartment(s) when mechanically de-coupled from the outer or outside hull/exoskeleton retracts into or extends out from within the main outer hull/exoskeleton compartment. The inner and the outer hull/hull(s)/exoskeletons can be fixedly coupled to the other in such a manner that when the inner hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton is extended out from within the outer hull/exoskeleton they form in their combination a storage compartment with an access aperture/door/hatch or panel with a voluminous interior space sufficient for a person to occupy. That the extended coupled/attached inner and outer hull/hull(s)/exoskeletons can also be mechanically de-coupled from the other permitting the inner hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton to slide into the outer hull/exoskeleton thus transforming the extended habitable configuration back into a load carrying configuration; with a pair of shoulder straps fixedly attached to said backpack proximal top rear side of said outer hull/exoskeleton, with the other end being fixedly attached proximal near the bottom rear side of said outer/exoskeleton, to allow said configured as a backpack to be carried on the back of a wearer.
 2. The backpack outer hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton of claim 1 wherein said releasable coupling attachment extends around one hundred percent of the conjoined axis of said primary outer hull/exoskeleton and extended inner hull/exoskeleton, or wherein said primary outer hull/exoskeleton releasable said coupling is either supplemented with an extending rail coupling or replaced all together by, or otherwise selectively permits the complete separation of their junction or junctions.
 3. The backpack outer hull/exoskeleton and the inner hull/exoskeleton of claim 1 wherein said primary storage compartments are of approximately similar dimension in width and length, the inner hull/exoskeleton being of a slightly smaller dimension so to fit inside the outer hull/exoskeleton.
 4. The backpack of claim 3 wherein said primary inner storage/hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton is positioned out from within the outer hull/exoskeleton to re-position the inner hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton compartment when the backpack is deployed in its expanded form.
 5. The backpack of claim 4 wherein said expanded hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton's inner and outer compartments are re-positioned to expose a space encompassing the combined length of said main expanded hull/hull(s)/exoskeleton of said backpack, this space being made available for additional storage or for habitable secure protected occupancy within.
 6. The backpack of claim 1 wherein said primary storage compartments have a range of re-positioning in any configuration from between zero length of travel to nearly one hundred percent length of travel to that of the height of the person user from their original un-expanded position, which when re-positioned is considered to be approximately parallel to the main outer hull/exoskeleton of the backpack.
 7. The backpack of claim 1 further including an outside cover made of nylon or other fabric or of fabric or of a composition with anti-ballistic properties or in combinations thereof with integral supplemental storage compartments, and an aperture formed in or near the top to permit access.
 8. The backpack of claim 7 wherein the described supplemental outside cover with supplemental storage compartments is generally constructed of nylon fabric or other material or in combination of other materials, is expansive enough or dimensioned sufficiently so to cocoon in entirety the repositioned expanded form of the backpack of claim 6 in any number of fabric compositions or combinations such as that of ventilated permeable or non-permeable nylon mesh, or netting, or like material, such that said fabric cover is suitable for mission/use specifics, such as mosquito and insect protective barrier, or non-ventilated with insulating or ballistic resistance or weather resistance or fire resistance characteristics or in combinations thereof.
 9. The backpack of claim 1 wherein all said storage compartments may be further internally subdivided into various and separate cells, each with its separate access aperture and selectively releasable mechanism for closure. 